We recommend donning your finest festive stretchy pants for these arvo blowouts:

Birdcage Paradise afternoon tea at Kowloon Shangri-La’s Lobby Lounge

The team over at the Lobby Lounge have achieved the ultimate wow factor with their newest afternoon tea offering, presented in a gorgeous four-tier golden birdcage that hangs either from the ceiling or on a stand. Two themed menus, Hong Kong and European, are available, with the four tiers featuring savouries crafted by European Executive Chef Alexandre Buytaert and Chinese Executive Chef Mok Kit Keung of two-Michelin-starred Shang Palace, modern pastry creations and classic sweets. Both menus include a welcome mocktail, an amuse-bouche, homemade scones with an assortment of toppings, a fruit platter and a silver tree bursting with chocolates – a lot of bang for your buck. Mini birdcages filled with biscuits to take home are yours for the taking too, while stocks last.

Price: $288 for one/$488 for two/$688 for two to include a half-bottle of Veuve Clicquot Brut (+$98 for a glass of the aforementioned champers)

Afternoon tea period: Monday–Friday, 2–5pm (except public holidays)



Lobby, Kowloon Shangri-La, 64 Mody Road, TST East, click here (Lobby Lounge online booking) to book (only online reservations are accepted)

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L’Éclair de Génie afternoon tea at Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s MO Bar


With eclairs being Foodie’s pastry du jour, we couldn’t be more excited about the #LMOxLeclairdegenie tea party. MO Bar’s holiday afternoon tea set showcases a sensational selection of eclairs: sweet ones come courtesy of French patissier Christophe Adam of the L’Éclair de Génie boutiques popping up around town, while the savoury eclairs are crafted by The Landmark’s Michelin-starred chef Richard Ekkebus. Each set features four sweet eclairs (lemon yuzu, festive dark chocolate, praline almond and blackcurrant and chestnut), four savoury eclairs (foie grass, passion fruit and chocolate, smoked salmon and nori, gammon and Cheddar cheese and Taiyouran egg and watercress) and MO Bar’s signature scones – this time with the festive additions of orange, raisin and cinnamon.


Price: $388 per person


Afternoon tea period: until 31 December, daily (Monday–Friday, 3–5:30pm; Saturday and Sunday, 2:30–6pm)

Lobby, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 2132 0077, lmhkg-mobar@mohg.com


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Nutcracker afternoon tea at The Langham’s Palm Court


Catching a performance of The Nutcracker is required viewing for us each holiday season (that and watching The Wizard of Oz for the umpteenth time). Langham Executive Pastry Chef Matthieu Godard has playfully recreated The Nutcracker’s characters into teatime treats. For example, there’s a Nutcracker millefeuille made of puff pastry, raspberry mousse and jam and a praline cream choux pastry with pink icing that evokes Clara. This very merry afternoon tea set includes all the usual trimmings – chocolate and plain scones with clotted cream, strawberry jam and rose preserves, plus a range of delicious savoury bites – set in Palm Court’s elegant oasis. While supplies last, each table of four or more diners will be be gifted with a complimentary bottle of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Champagne. Even better, diners can chill to the tunes of a live harpist or pianist each afternoon.

Price: $348 for one/$598 for two or – for the deluxe version – $528 for one/$888 for two (to include a glass of Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé Champagne)

Afternoon tea period: until 1 January 2017, daily (Monday–Friday, 3–5:30pm; Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 2:15–4:15pm (first seating) and 4:30–6:30pm (second seating)

Lobby, The Langham, Hong Kong, 8 Peking Road, TST, 2132 7898, tlhkg.palm.court@langhamhotels.com

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Caviar afternoon tea at The Ritz-Carlton’s Lounge & Bar

It’s difficult to imagine a more decadent afternoon tea than this one – taken in the swish surrounds of the world’s highest hotel lobby, The Lounge & Bar’s caviar-themed afternoon tea set features the likes of delicate Prunier caviar savoured straight from the tin, blinis with caviar, devilled eggs topped with a sprinkling of caviar and smoked Balik salmon, made according to an ancient Russian recipe. To pair with these savouries, Executive Pastry Chef Richard Long has crafted an innovative selection of sweets. Highlights are the salted caramel, pistachio and Valrhona Jivara gingerbread cream and the Mont-Blanc raspberry choux.

Price: $548 per person (+$300 to include a glass of Dom Pérignon bubbly)

Afternoon tea period: 16 December 2016–2 January 2017, daily (times vary quite a bit depending on the day; please contact the restaurant for further details)

102/F, The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, ICC, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, 2263 2270, restaurantreservation.hk@ritzcarlton.com

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Teas of Hope afternoon tea at The Peninsula’s Lobby


Taking tea in the colonial-style splendour of The Peninsula’s Lobby is a holiday tradition for many Hong Kongers. This year, The Lobby’s classic afternoon tea has been given a festive makeover to coincide with the hotel’s Trees of Hope fundraising campaign honouring the Make-A-Wish Foundation. And you can feel good about your afternoon tea indulgence here, with 20 per cent of the proceeds of each set donated to Make-A-Wish. From 22–26 December, soak in the Christmas spirit surrounded by angelic sounds from HK’s top choirs.


Price: $458 per person, to include an ornament


Afternoon tea period: until 30 December


Lobby, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, TST, 2696 6772

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Stephanie Pliakas is the Digital Editor of Foodie. From Michelin-starred fine-dining to the local comfort-food eats dished out at cha chaan tengs, she has immersed herself in the city’s ever-changing food scene since making Hong Kong her home more than a decade ago. When Stephanie is not devouring something delicious, she’s cooking and baking up a storm at home (whilst listening to true crime podcasts).

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